Not just selective memory, but selective facts, too

YOURSAY
'You were our PM for more than 22 years, yet you don't know the difference between raw materials, finish products, by-products and wastes.'

'Rare earths safe, or we'd be brainless by now'

Stop Lynas Now:
Nobody is arguing about usefulness of rare earth. Advance countries like United States and Japan needed it badly to build fighter jets, bombers and battleships.

What the Malaysian people are fighting for is for Lynas do its business somewhere else. We don't owe those countries anything. And old chap, we are talking about disposal of radioactive waste, not how useful rare earth is.

Beyond Evil:
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, you were our PM for more than 22 years, yet you don't know the difference between raw materials, finish products, by-products and wastes. No wonder we have Proton.

Foo:
Tun, after 22 years as PM, you still hog the limelight (I believe PM Najib wasn't joking when he said he was still under your apprenticeship) and all your children are rich beyond imagination, so what else do you want?

Will you do us a favour and give us a break? Frankly, whatever that is destined to happen will happen, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Changeagent:
I think Mahathir's comment here has been taken out of context. What he is really trying to say is that if you live in Kuala Lumpur like he does, then the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant located in Gebeng will pose no danger whatsoever to your life.

If you live in Gebeng, however, then we will soon find out whether you still have brains after the direct exposure to the radioactive wastes.

Ipoh2:
The old man really can spin facts. The raw ore and the rare earth produced are not hazardous. Neither are products that use or contain rare earth.

It is the wastes produced in the refining of raw ore that is deathly dangerous.

Pemerhati:
What a stupid and idiotic statement coming from a GP (general practitioner) who should have some basic scientific knowledge.

The materials used to make lithium-ion batteries are not radioactive and hence cannot harm us in the way the radioactive raw materials that Lynas is bringing into the country.

His British medical bosses probably saw through his stupidity and probably that is why they never recommended that he be allowed to become a medical specialist like many of his other colleagues.

So he then probably decided to become a politician, which is a profession that does not require much intelligence and is not academically demanding.

In fact, any mediocre person with a little bit of intelligence and the gift of the gab can become a successful politician as shown by the example of Adolf Hitler, who was an army corporal.

Just Me:
Hello, Dr M. No one is saying rare earth is unsafe. We are all saying that the minerals where they extract rare earths contains radioactive thorium, which is harmful to humans.

If this residue can be use to produce by-products for commercial use, Asian Rare Earth (ARE) in Bukit Merah would have already done so. Why would the Japanese spent millions of ringgit to build a storage facility to keep them?

Ohakimm:
This is what was reported on the Bukit Merah project. "The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the government has taken every precaution to ensure safety and that construction of the radioactive dump in Papan will go ahead." Read more
here
.

Geronimo:
Do us a favour, Mahathir. Why don't you move out from the comfort zone of your palatial home and relocate yourself at Gebeng.

Show your leadership qualities, walk the talk and be with the people. I am sure they will appreciate it very much knowing you are there to share their burden. What say you, Mahathir?

Bumiasli:
Rare earth is used to make lithium batteries. But how much rare earth is in a cell phone battery and what is the level of radiation in the device?

It's like saying chlorine is added in drinking water, so chlorine is harmless. Try drinking one glass of pure chlorine. Being an ex-PM and once a medical practitioner does not make anyone smart in science.

TimsTime:
Dr M, please answer this question. Australia, nearly twice the size of Europe, could not even find a remote useless desert to process the rare earth in their backyard.

Why do they need to take the trouble to ship 100 containers every month to a country called Malaysia, thousands of miles away and never ever wanted the waste back after processing? And why is that the international convention prohibits the export of such waste material?

You are rich, you can migrate to another country but what about the other rakyat who have stay put in Malaysia?

Anonymous #32993250:
It would be harmful if the quantity is large and the exposure is constant for a period of time.

Our ex-PM is misplaced as he is influenced by other considerations such as politics of the day and the issues that is creating a fear that Lynas radioactive plant may play a significant negative influence in the people's perception that may surely affect BN in the coming elections.

Ferdtan:
Mahathir, you are right. Umno is without any brain for approving the Lynas project. They think only of money in the pockets.

It seems that Mahathir is a ‘one-man BN-fighting machine'. Who is the PM here? Is it Najib or Mahathir? Mahathir talks on every issue as if he is still a prime minister.

Have you no respect for the reigning PM, Najib; or have you been tasked by Umno party elders to take charge of the politicking for this general election? Are you the
de facto
PM?

Your sons are billionaires, so enjoy the limited time you have with your grandchildren. We may forget your past transgressions.

However, if you still insist on actively playing the political game, don't blame us as we may demand that you be brought to face a public trial if Pakatan Rakyat were to win the general election.

JayJay:
If you have to go to jail, we will make sure that one is built next to the plant specially for you.

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